Side bearing



Aug. 2s, 1925. 1,682,019 J. F. OCONNOR SIDE BEARING Filed July 16, 1925 E I Iavenf W 5.566 Jah/v1.7' mar VPatented Aug. 28, i928.

UNETED STATES FATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. OCONNOR, OF CHICAGO, ILINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSEGNMENTS, TO

H. MNER, ENG., A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

SIDE BEARING.

Application filed July 18, 1923. Serial No. 651,739.

This invention relates to improvements in side bearings.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and eliicient, self-centering bearing, including a pivotally suspended element having a plurality of bearing surfaces, wherein the means for pivotally suspending the rocker may be adjusted relative to the latter so that the rocker may be shifted to bring different surfaces thereof into operative relation to the truck and body bolster bearing surfaces.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated including a pivotally suspended rocker having a plurality of curved bearing surfaces, wherein the rocker is provided wit-h a series of symmetrically disposed openings, anyone of which is adapted to receive the pivoted means to thereby bring dierent surfaces of the rocker into co-acting relation with the bearino' surfaces of the body and truck bolsters.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a side bearing, including a siX- arc rocker, pivotally suspended on a pendulum hung from the body bolster, wherein means is provided to assist in the return of the pendulum to normal position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a. part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a vertical, sectional View taken through the ends of a body and truck bolster of a railway car showing my `improvements in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view corresponding substantially to the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. And Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of one of the pendulums used' in connection with the device.

In said drawing, 10 denotes the upper portion of a truck bolster of a railroad car, and 11 the opposed lower part of .a body bolster. My improved bearing, as shown, is attached to the body bolster.

The improved bearing comprises, broadly, a retaining member or housing A; an antifriction element B; a separate wear or bearing plate C; a pair of supporting links or pendulums D-D; a pivot pin E; and a pair of spring plates F-F.

The retaining member A., as shown, has

an upper flat wall 12 adated to lie against the under face of the body bolster, said upper wall having end flanges 155-13 suitably perforated to accommodate rivets or other fastening devices for holding the retaining member rigidly in position. The retaining member also has depending vertical side walls t-14 and downwardly extending curved end walls 15-15. The upper portion of the side walls 14 are offset outwardly as indicated at 16 in Fig. 2, thereby providing longitudinally extending recesses 17 having curved bottom walls 18. rlhe recesses are open at opposite ends as indicated at 19 and vertical shoulders 20 are provided at opposite ends of the curved bottom walls, the curved bottom walls terminating in horizontal i'iat supporting surfaces 21 adjacent the shoulders 20. The top wall of each recess 17 is cut out at the center as indicated at 22 to provide a bearing portion adapted to guide the projectin,01 supporting members at the upper end of the corresponding pendulum, hereinafter described. sides of the opening thug provided, the top wall of the recess is formed with flat abutment surfaces 23. l

Each of the recesses 17 is adapted to receive one of the spring plates F, each of the plates being supported at its opposite ends on the surfaces 21 with the extreme ends of the plate closely adjacent the shoulders 21, the latter acting to hold the plates in proper position. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, the plates F are normally flat and disposed in horizontal position with the top surfaces thereof engaging with the abutments 23. It will be evident that the plates F may be placed within the recesses by insertin@ them through one of the openings 19.

rFlic anti-friction element B is of the rolling rocker type. In general outline, the rocler is more or less triangular and is composed of three sets of opposite, concentric, curved bearing` surfaces 2l and 124 of different radii. The surface 12% of each series is of relatively short radius the corresponding, opposite, curved concentric surface 211 is of relatively long radius, each short radius surface 12e merging into two bearing surfaces 2l of longer radius, the whole producing the triangular formation referred to.

At opposite The rocker is provided with three transversely extending openings 25 equally spaced from the center of the rocker and symmetrically arranged with reference to the surfaces of the same, anyone of said openings 25 being adapted to receive 'the pivot E. The rocker B is suspended within the housing or retaining member A by the pair of pendulums D-D. Fach pendulum D comprises a. downwardly extending arm having a laterally extending supporting member 26 at its upper end and ai pivot pin receiving opening 27 at its lower end. rlhe sup-porting member 26 of each pendulum D is provided with substantially cylindrical, twin bearing surfaces 28, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and forming, in effect, cam members. Each of the pendulums has the supporting member 26 thereof working in one of the cut out portions 22 and is supported by the corresponding spring plate F. The rocker is pivotally suspended by the pendulums D, the pivot pin E extending through one of the openings of the rocker land having its opposite ends received in the recesses 27 of the pendulums DMD.

The bearing plate C, which is preferably made of tempered or hardened steel, is interposed between the rocker B and the upper wall 12, the housing or retaining member being provided with horizontal slots 29 to receive the same. To retain the plates C in fixed assembled relation within the retaining member, the opposite ends of the former are upset as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

In assembling the device, the pendulums D are inserted through the bottom of the housing and the pivotal projections 26 thereof engaged within the recesses 17. The rocker B is then inserted through the bottom opening of the retaining member between the members D and one of the pivot openings 25 thereof brought into alinement with openings 30 provided in the side walls 14 of the housing. The openings 27 of the pendulums are also brought into alinement with the openings 3() and the pivot pin E is then passed through either of the openings 30 and inserted in proper position in the rocker B and the pendulums D to pivotally support the rocker. The pendulums carrying the rocker are then raised to assume the position shown in Fig. 1 with t-he supporting member' 26 thereof disposed in the cut out portions 22, and the spring plates F inserted in the recesses 17 through the open ends thereof and allowed to snap into position. The wear plate C may be inserted either before or after the parts have been thus assembled The normal position of the parts is shown in partly full and partly dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the pendulums being in central position and having the portions 26 thereof supported by the springs F, the springs being straightened out. The rocker B is thus suspended within the housing with the uppermost face 124 thereof in contact with the bearing plate C and the bpposed lowermost face 24 spaced from the upper surface of the truck bolster.

On the approach of the bolsters toward each other, the lowermost bearing surface 24 of the rocker will be brought into contact with the upper surface of the truck bolster. Upon relative lateral shifting movement of the body and truck bolsters the rocker will be rolled, as for example to the dotted line position shown at the left of Fig. 1, the same being limited in its movement by engagement with the adjacent curved end wall 15 of the housing. During the rolling movement of the rocker B, turning of the portions 26 of the pendulum members will have a cam act-ion, causing the springs F to be bowed downwardly as clearly indicated by the dotted lines. The twin bearing portions are so designed that the arcs through which the axis of the pivot pin E swings when the pendulums are moved in reverse direction by the rolling movement of the antifriction element coincide with the path followed by the pin E due to the rolling movement of the surface 24 on the plate C and the movement of the surface 124 tangent to a line coinciding or parallel with the upper surface of the truck bolsters. Upon separation of the bolsters or removal of the pressure upon the anti-friction element, the pendulums D, due to the weight of the anti-friction element, will swing to central position under the infiuence of gravity. At the same time, the springs F will force the then lowermost portions of the twin projections 28 upwardly and assist in the ret-urn movement of the part-s. At the same time, the rocker will also be caused to swing on the pivot pin E, due to the eccentric location of the opening 25 through which the pivot pin extends,

thereby bringing that face 24 adjacent the two remaining openings 25 to properly center opposed relation with reference to the upper surface of the truck bolster. It will be evident that when one set of faces 24 and 124 becomes worn .or damaged, either of the remaining two sets of faces 24 and 124 may be brought into operative relation by removing the pivot pin E from one of the openings 25 and inserting it in either of the remaining openings of the rocker, whereupon the rocker, due to the influence of gravity will swing so that a different set of opposed faces will be brought opposite the bearing surfaces of the truck and body bolsters.

I have herein shown and described what l now consider the preferred manner of carrying out the invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

l. In a side bearing, the combination with a retaining member; of a rocker having a plurality of different bearing surfaces and a plurality of spaced disconnected eccentrically disposed apertures therein; and pendulum means suspending the rocker, said rocker and said means having an adjustable connection associated therewith by which the pendulum means may be selectively and pivotally connected to said rocker through the medium of the eccentric apertures therein, whereby the different bearing surfaces of said rocker may be selectively brought into operative relation to the bearing surfaces with which the rocker is adapted to coact, said eccentric connections operating to suspend said rocker so that the center of gravity thereof is disposed below the connection in any adjusted position of the parts.

2. In a side bearing adapted to be attached to a body bolster, the combination with a retaining member having an upper bearing surface; of an anti-friction element adapted to roll during operation thereof; pendulums means yieldingly sustained by said retaining member; and means pivotally supporting said element from said pendulum means.

3. In a side bearing7 the combination with a retaining member having an upper bearing surface; of an anti-friction element adapted to roll in Contact with said bearing surface; pendulum means provided with twin pivot means for suspending the same from said retaining member for pivotally supporting said element; and resilient means adapted to coact with each of said twin means to return the anti-friction element to central position after each actuation thereof.

4. In a side bearing, the combination with a retaining member; of an anti-friction element within said retaining member; a pair of pendulums for supporting said element, each of said pendulums being provided with twin pivots; and a spring engaging each of said twin pivots to swingingly support said pendulums.

5. In a side bearing, the combination with a retaining member; of a rocker having a plurality of different bearing surfaces, and a plurality of spaced disconnected eccentrically disposed apertures therein; pendulum means provided with twin pivot means for suspending the saine from said retaining member; said means serving to selectively and pivotally support said rocker through the medium of said eccentric apertures therein; and resilient means adapted to co-act With each 0f said twin means to return the anti-friction rocker to central position after each actuation thereof.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th day of July, 1923.

JOHN F. OCONNOR. 

